Slide fastener



March 21, 1933. H, J. FIEHI.y 1,902,417

SLIDE FASTENER Filed oct. 26, 1g29 Bymmmw A TTORNE S.

Patented Mar. 2l, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcr:

HENRY J. PIEHL, OF HUDSON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR HOOKLESS FABTENER COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA SLIDE FASTENER Application led October 26, 1929. Serial No. 402,731.

My invention relates to slide fasteners and particularly to means for holding the slider against movement along the interlocking elements to maintain the fastener closed.

Slide fasteners have now come to be generally known to the public and have beenvery widely used in tobacco pouches, rubber overshoes and other clothing, and in numerous other articles. In many of these uses, especially in footwear and other clothing diiicnlty has heretofore been experienced due to the fastener coming open when the edges of the article are pulled apart. One of the objects of the invention therefore, is to provide improved means for retaining the slider in any desired position along the fastener and thus prevent opening of the fastener.

So called lock sliders have been heretofore devised and used which function 0n the principle of a metal locking lug movable through an opening in one of the slider Wings to engage between a pair of the interlocking elements. By the use of my invention the feature of a locking lug or pin engaging the inter-locking elements may be eliminated and the slider held in;position by friction between the movable slfder and a stationary part of the assembly.` It is therefore a second object of my invention to provide improved means for locking the slider in place, by friction between the slider and a relatively stationary member. In one embodiment this means comprises a device for` clamping an outer stationary part of the article to which the fastener is attached against a surface of the slider.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a coveredfastener (in which the interlocking elements are. concealed) with means for locking the slider at any desired point.

It has come to be connron practice to provide ysuitable means for covering the interlocking elementsof .slide fasteners, especially in articles `of clothing. This is conveniently done by extending the material of the Aarticle over theinterlocking elements. so that its edges meet adjacent the fastenerelements and thus providing flexible fiaps which cover the fastener and at the same time permit free movement of the slider. From another aspect my invention consists in means associated with these flaps for holding the slider in the desired position. In one embodiment the invention may comprise a pull member attached to the slider having means for clamping the flaps against the adjacent outer surface of the slider in one position of the pull.

A further object is to provide a pull member for the slider having means for engaging flaps which overlie the fastener to hold the slider in any desired position.

Still another object of the invention is to provi-de a pull member for the slider which shall overlie the flaps covering the fastener and be shaped to the contour of the article to which the fastener is attached.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying .drawing I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment and two modifications which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawing,

Fig. l shows a ladys overshoe with which my invention is incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through a part of the overshoe showing the improved locking means of my invention;

Fig. 3 -is a front elevation view of the top portion of the overshoe with parts broken away to illustrate the fastener elements;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the slider and pull assembly in a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the pull member shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of a modified form of pull member and slider embodying my invention;

Fig. 8 shows the detached; and

Fig. 9 illustrates a second modification embodying my invention.

In Fig. l I have illustrated a familiar type of overshoe 9, having a top flap l0 which may, if desired, be folded down over the shoe upper as in the illustration. The material of the shoe upper is extended to provide a pair pull member of Fig. 7

of flaps 11 and 12 which meet in a longitudinal line along the center of the ove Fastener stringere, each comprising a `j -,d ed e tape 13 and a row of closely spaced 'interloc in elements 14, are secured to the under side o the shoe upper. The tape 13 is cemented to the ilaps or strips 11 and 12 of the shoe upper or may be secured in any other manner provided a certain amount of tape is left free so as to permit movement of the slider. The overshoe may also have a bellows tongue 15 underlying the fastener stringers and slider.

The specific construction of the interlocking elements 14 does not form a part of the present invention and may be of the same general type as those illustrated in the patent to Sundback No. 1,219,881.A Their construction and operation are well known in the art and will not be further described. The slider, as best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7, comprises a pair of upper and lower wings 16 and 17 respectively, between which are received the rows of fastener elements. These wing portions are connected preferably by an integral reinforcing ortion 18 at the rear end of the slider which is wedge-shaped to provide inner cam surfaces for separating the interlocking elements upon movement of the slider in one direction. The edges .of the slider wings are turned over toward each other as illustrated at 19 to provide a Y shaped channel through which the interlocking elements are adapted to pass. The inturned portions 19 serve to guide the interlocking elements into engagement upon movement of the slider in one direction.

For the purpose of providing convenient means for operating the slider along the fastener elements a lug 20 is preferably integrally connected to the upper wing 16 of the slider and in the preferred embodiment this lugl has indented sides, as indicated in Fig. 2 at 21 and 22, to provide a track along which the pull may be moved. The construction of this lug is the same as has been employed in former sliders, except that its height above the upper slider wing is materially greater so that it may extend through the slit between the flaps 11 and 12 and still have room for lconnecting to the pull.

The pull member generally designated 23, is of special construction in my invention so as to provide means for clampin the flaps 11 and 12 against the outer sur ace of the upper wing of the slider. In the form illustrated in the Figures 1, 2, and 6 inclusive, the pull member is preferably made of a sheet metal stamping of generally triangular shape. An opening 24 is formed to receive the lug 20, and a pair of inturned lugs 25 engage in recesses 26 in the sides of the lug 2O to provide a pivotal connection between the pull member and the slider. As best illustrated in Figure 2 the portionspof the pull member at opposite sides of the track lug 20 are turned up to provide cam edges 27 and 28 for engagement with the surfaces of flaps 11 and 12. It will be noted that these cam edges are located to the rear of the pivot lu so that in clamping position .the ull wilgs be held against the shoe upper. T e pointed end of the pull member is turned outwardly, as shown at 29, and the general shape 4of the member is such as to fit the u per portion of the overshoe. This construction provides an ornamental appearance, and at the same time is a construction which is easily manufactured and which accomplishes both the function of a pull member and a locking device. f In operation, when it is desired to o en or close the fastener, the pull member is li ted to some such position as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which the cam edges 27 and 28 do not enggge the fla s 11 and 12. The slider can then shifted a ong the rows of fastener elements and during shifting the flaps 11 and 12 lex around the upper wing of the slider as shown in Fig. 4. A i

When the fastener is closed the operator will quite naturall push the ull member down against the s o'e upper. n this position the cam portions 27 and 28 engage the flaps 11 and 12, and clamp them against the top outer surface of the wing portion 16. In addition to the pivotal movement of the pull member relative to the slider, the construction of the recesses 26 is preferably such as to allow the pull member to be shifted lon itudinall from one end to the other of t e slider. is provides for the application of a pulling force at the most suitable point on the slider in either direction of movement.

A slightly modified form of the invention is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In this form the bearing lugs 29 are eccentrically disposed on the rounded cam ortion 30 so that when the pull member is ifted upwardly -from the slider the pressure on the flaps 11 and 12 is released and the slider may be moved along the fastener. When the pull member is pushed' a ainst the shoegupper or in a position para lel with the ."wngs of the slider, the cam portion 30 presses a ainst the flaps 11 and 12 and effectively l'oc s the slider in sition. It will be readily seen that t is form of ull may be easily made by stamping out the lank from sheet metal and turnin l up and bending backwardly the-bifurcate end to form the portion 30.

In a further modiedform of the invention illustrated in Fig=!9, the pull member may be of any desired' construction such as that now employed in commercial fasteners and the attaching lug 20a is of s ecial construction to provide means for e ecting the locking function. For the ma'or portion of the length of the lug the trac wa 31 runs along near the to and-at a suita le oint, preferably at the orward end, the tra way curves downwardly to ashoulder 32. The operation, in this form of my invention, will be readily apparent. The bearing portions of the pull member normall operate in the upper portion 31 of the trac way, and when it is desired to lock the slider in position the pull is moved to a suitable point and pushed downwardly so as to allow the bearing lugs to engage behind the shoulders 32. The pull is thus held in position to compress the flaps 11 and 12 against the slider and prevent its movement along the fastener.

As a result of my invention it will be observed that a very -simple and convenient means has been provided for preventing opening of the fastener by the application of a lateral pull or tearing force in the locality of the slider. A novel lock slider has been devised which is particularly adapted for fasteners covered by flexible flaps as in rubber overshoes. By the use of my invention lock sliders may be made at a very slight extra cost above that required for making the ordinary slider.

While I have in this application specifically described one preferred 'form and two modifications thereof which my invention may assume in practice, it is to be distinctly understood that various changes in construe! tion may be made and other embodiments devised which will fall within the purview of my invention as defined in Athe appended claims'.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In combination, an article having edges to be fastened, fastening means along said edges, a slider movable over said fasteningr means for engaging or disengaging the same, a slider retaining means including a member fixed to said article and extending longitudinally of the fastener, and means for pressing said member against said slider to retain the same in the desired position.

2. In combination, an article having edges to be fastened, interlocking fastener elements along said edges, a slider movable over said elements for engaging and disengaging the same, avslider retaining means including a friction Vmember fixed to said article and projecting into engagement with said slider, and clamping means carried by said slider to press said friction member against the slider for retaining it in the desired position.

3. In combination, an article having edges to be'fastened, interlocking fastener elements along said edges, a slider movable over said` elements for envaging or disengaging the same, a flexible flap fixed to said article and adapted to overlie said slider in at least one position, and a cam member carried by said slider adapted to press said flap against the slider for frictionally retaining said slider in the desired position.

4. In combination, an article having edges to be fastened, interlocking fastener elements along said edges, a slider movable over said elements for engaging and disengaging the same, at least one of said article edges constituting a fiexible flap overlying said slider in any position, and a clamping member carried by sa'id slider adapted to press said flap against the slider for frictionally retaining the same in the desired position.

5. In combination, an article having edges to be fastened, a pair of fastener stringers attached thereto and having fastening means along their adjacent edges, 'a flap of flexible material fixed to the article and adapted to overlap said fastening means along one edge of the article, a slider movable along said stringer to engage and disengag'e said fastening means, a pull member movably connected to said sliderv for actuating the sume, and means controlled by movement of said pull member for engagement with said overlapping flap, to effect locking of the slider in any desired portion along said stringers.

6. In (combination, an article having edges to be fastened, cooperating rows offastener elements attached thereto, a pair of flexible flaps fixed to said article and adapted to cover said fastener elements, a'slider movable along said elements to effect engagement and disengagement of said fastener elements, a pull member movably connected to said slider, and cam means operated upon movement of said pull member to clamp said flexible strip against the upper surface of'said slider.

7. In combination, an article provided with a slit having meeting edges, a slide fastener for holding the vadjacent edges-of said slit together, said fastener comprising series of interlocking'elements attached to the article adjacent said slit and a slider movable along the same to effect engagement and disengagement of 'said elements, the edges of said slit being so constructed as to overlap said fastening elements and abut against each other, and a pull member movably connected to said slider and having a cam portion adapt-A ed, in one position of the pull member, to clamp said flexible edges against the slider to prevent movement of the slider along the fastener.

8. In combination, an article having separable parts to be fastened, fastener elements secured to the edges of said parts, a slider movable along said fastener elements to engage an d disengage the same, a member attached to the material of the article and overlying an outer surface of the slider, and means carried by the slider for producing frictional engagement between said member and said slider to lock the slider. e

9. In combination, an articlehaving separable parts to be fastened including fastener elements secured to the edges of said parts,

a slider movable along said fastener elements to engage and disengage the same, a member attached to 'the -materialof the article and l overlying an outer surface of the. sl1der, and

-a ivoted' clamping device carried by the sliserf for producing frictional engagement 5 between said memberandssaid outer surface 10. In a slide fastener, the combination' of ilegible supporting means, a air of rows of interlocking elements on e supportmg 19 means, a slider movable along the rows for interlocking'and disengaging the elements a flexible cover strip dlsposed along one of the rows and iixed to the supporting means,

the slider having locking means acti on the 15 cover strip for securing the slider to e strip at any desired point.

:11. In a slide fastener, the combination of flexible supporting means, a air of rows of interlocking elements on t e supporting means, a shder movable along the rows for interlocking and disengaging the elements, flexible cover strips fixed to the supporting means and overlying the slider, a support carried by the slider, and means attached to the support and dis osed outside the cover stri for clamping e cover strips between said last mentioned means and the body of the slider.

12. In a slide fastener, the combination of flexible supporting means, a pair of rows of interlocking elements on the supporting means, a slider movable along the rows for interlocking and disengaging the elements, a flexible cover Vstrip fixed to the supporting means and overlying the slider, a support carried bythe slider, and a pull tab attached to said support and disposed outside said cover strip, said tab including a cam adapted to 40 clamp the strip 'to the body of the slider when the cam is in @predetermined position.

. sIn teimony whereofl aiix my si ature.

HENRY J. P HL. 

